The Academy
by Discord1
Summary: AU. Nick and Judy are both cadets attending the police academy. They form an unlikely friendship without realizing how different their reasons are for being there.
1. Day One

**The Academy**

By: Discord

A/N: I started half a dozen WildeHopps stories during Nanowrimo this year, and this one was my favorite idea. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter One – Day One**

* * *

Judy clasped her hands together, trying to rein in an excitement that was making her nearly vibrate. She stood in her cadet uniform in the police academy's sleeping barracks, fighting down the urge to start jumping in place.

 _I did it! I'm finally here!_

The building housed forty beds, half with trunks at the end. It was newly quiet – vacated by classmates out exploring the grounds – and Judy savored the stillness, letting it settle her enthusiasm. Sharp, violet eyes that had tried to soften and seem friendly when shaking hands of soon-to-be peers, now turned to her bunk, searching for any last wrinkles in its impeccably-smooth surface. The rabbit had already remade it twice, painstakingly flattening out every crease, but paused to study anyway, hunting for any hint that she didn't deserve to be here.

Judy was the first bunny to register for the sixteen-week program, and she was going to prove to everyone how much she belonged in the ranks of the ZPD, starting with the state of her mattress.

"Looks perfect Carrots," a deep voice called.

Judy turned to see another cadet saunter over – a fox – dressed in an identical uniform, sipping coffee from the mess hall. Although his species was a surprise – she thought she'd been the only mammal making history today – she zeroed in on the bigger shock of his top, unbuttoned button. _He's not going to greet our instructor like that, is he?!_

She closed her open jaw, and managed, "H-Hi, I'm Judy."

He extended his hand. "Nick."

She pulled hers apart and shook it, forgetting to dull the drive in her gaze.

A smile crinkled his eyes as her fingers folded over his, and he glanced to her bunk. "Eager, huh?"

Judy wrenched herself away from the horror of his collar – wondering how he could meet _anyone_ in such a state – and followed his gaze. "What makes you say that?"

Nick took another sip from his steaming cup, raising a brow at the meticulous lines of sheets and standard-issue blanket. "This looks like you took an iron to it."

Judy flushed. _He's making fun of me_.

"I'm just serious about joining the Zootopia police force," she eyed his open collar meaningfully.

He smiled easily, revealing rows of sharp teeth. "Our instructors will care about how we perform, not our level of tidiness," he purposefully undid a second button with his free hand, letting his grin widen. "See you on the field Carrots."

Judy flushed as he brushed past, irritated that he would risk his first impression just to make her feel foolish. "It's _Judy_ ," she muttered.

Nick offered his arm in a wave. "Do all bunnies get cute when they're mad?"

A frown pulled at her mouth. _Cute?!_

* * *

Judy stormed onto the training field a few minutes later, working to let her anger bleed away – that red-furred jerk wasn't going to dampen the brightness of her dream in its first hour. He hadn't been the only fox in her life to try. As she raised her head, her ears fell.

 _Oh no._

The other nineteen trainees, all of impressive builds and size, had already assembled and were now staring with raised eyebrows and hand-covered mouths at her approach; she was the _last_ to arrive.

Fighting the heat in her face – a mix of mortification and swallowed tears – Judy scrambled to her place beside a stern-looking wolf, just as a large polar bear pulled a clipboard from her face.

"Nice of you to join us Cadet Hopps," she called, checking her watch.

"Sorry ma'am!" She returned, spotting Nick in the row behind her and glaring his way. _He_ had made her late! Her father's voice echoed in her head, cautioning about 'shifty, low-life foxes', and she nodded as if he were there to see.

Nick looked up, feeling her stare, and shot her another grin, brushing his fingers against the upturned ends of his open collar.

"Cadets!" The polar bear shouted. "Stand at attention!"

Judy swept her feet together and pulled her arms behind her back, following the order faster than her canine neighbor. She had practiced a hundred times in her bedroom in Bunnyburrow, and her nerves melted at the joy she felt in finally executing the stance for more than a mirror.

The instructor started down the first row, eyeing the assembled group. Her appraisal was wordless, and several mammals straightened under her gaze. She stopped three quarters of the way to Judy and whipped a huge arm out. "Cadet Wilde!" She accused. "Close up your uniform immediately!"

Judy heard scrambling behind her and worked to hide a grin.

"If I _ever_ see you so disheveled again, you'll be scrubbing the sleeping barracks with your tail!"

Judy's pleasure spread against her best efforts, and she ducked, staring down at her feet.

The polar bear glanced her way. "Something funny Cadet Hopps?"

She shook her head vigorously. "No ma'am."

Heavy footsteps approached. "You sure?" A long, white muzzle got close. "Because you look _very_ amused."

Judy flicked her eyes up. "Sorry."

The mammal frowned. "Two laps. You and Unbuttoned Wilde. Move!"

Judy burst from her spot, heading for the track surrounding them, shoving her pounding heart down into her stomach. Nick jogged behind her, and she went faster, determined to start before him.

Unfortunately, their different biology allowed him to catch up quickly, and his longer legs made strides that easily outmatched hers. He reached the track's starting line a breath after her, and caught up as she began her first trip around the field.

Judy heard his beginning pants at her shoulder and felt a small satisfaction at his obvious exertion.

"Sorry," Nick mumbled, coming up beside her. "Guess your glares were right Carrots. Should have used your iron on my collar."

Judy ran harder, letting her feet pound against the well-tended track. "Who knows? Maybe Major Friedkin likes slobs who don't care."

She surged forward, and Nick fell behind. Pushing herself, the rabbit put several yards between them and risked a glance to the interior.

Their instructor was giving basic information about the barracks, and Judy lifted her ears, straining to pick out the vital details being dispensed.

Heavy, wheezing exhales sounded behind her. "You… know…," Nick started. "I… was… right… too."

Judy glanced back in annoyance. "How?"

He threw his head back and gulped for air, palming his hip at an unseen stitch. "You shouldn't… show them… you want it… so bad," he dropped his eyes back to her.

Judy scoffed. "Showing is how I graduate," she let scorn edge her face. "And if you don't, you won't last long here."

Nick closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, forcing himself closer. "Just saying…."

She returned to the track. "Save it. I don't need your advice."

* * *

When Judy and Nick returned to the field, the group was already reviewing the protocols for doling rights to subjects. Friedkin paired them up with a dismissive wave, and they trudged to a corner together.

Judy eyed the fox's heaving shoulders and sweat-matted fur. "You have the right to remain silent," she said, trying to speak through her resentment. Its power surprised her – she was eager to make friends here, but _not_ with someone who earned her a reprimand moments after leaving the barracks. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in court of law."

Nick glared balefully, dropping his hands to his hips and doing his best not to double over. The laps had been a rude wake up call – this was _not_ going to be an easy four months. "I was just passing by officer," he role-played. "What's the meaning of this?"

She continued, lifting her chin as the instructor's gaze wandered their way. "You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford an attorney, one will be provided for you."

"What's my offense?" Nick countered. "What was I doing?"

Judy swallowed. _He knows how to argue._

"Besides making me look bad?" She whispered.

Nick thought a moment, then nodded. "Sure."

"Do you understand the rights I've just read you?" She plodded onward, conscious of the eyes on her. "With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me?"

"Just tell me what I did!" He exclaimed, throwing the back of his hand to his forehead with dramatic flair. "I don't see the need for an arrest!"

Judy scowled. "You were… interfering with an important case," she ad-libbed.

"Maybe I was just trying to be friendly," Nick countered.

She waited for a slow smile – more teasing – but saw only sincerity instead. Judy swallowed and hunted for a rebuttal. "You call swiping a purse friendly?" She said lamely.

A whistle blew, and the pairs stopped. "Alright!" The polar bear hollered. "It's time for our first obstacle course run!"

Nick and Judy straightened, turning to hear more, and he stepped up next to her. "A purse? He whispered. "That's the best you got? A bit cliché, don't you think?"

"Quiet! We'll miss something," she hissed, training her eyes forward.

"Cause you know, you're the _first_ mammal to _ever_ accuse me of snatching one."

Judy jabbed her elbow into his side, and he 'oofed' softly.

"So… violent," he muttered.

Their instructor ushered all of them around and outlined the different ecosystems of Zootopia, naming the perils of the Rainforest District, Sahara Square, and Tundra Town. At the last one, Nick interrupted by raising his hand, having regained his breath.

"Wilde?" She called on him. "Something to add?"

"Yes ma'am," he stepped forward. "I was just wondering if the police department will be outfitting us with tools to counter these different ecosystems."

Her eyes narrowed. "Tools are earned Pointy Ears," she shot back. "And you haven't earned anything," she raised a brow at Judy. "Except maybe one mad Farm Girl," she ignored Nick's frown and continued.

* * *

Judy forced her legs to move, exhaustion making the usually-energetic limbs heavy.

"Tired, Carrots?" Nick came up behind her, clapping a hand on her back.

The rabbit squeezed her eyes shut. _Not now._ She tried to answer lightly, but her 'nope' came out strained and discouraged. The obstacle course, which she'd finished last, had left her covered in bruises and sand. "And my name's Judy."

Nick pranced ahead, showing none of his earlier fatigue. "Not too resilient, are you?" His growing grin was unduly smug. "You may be able to lap me around the track, but a little actual hardship, and you buckle."

She closed her eyes, fisting hands at her sides and wanting only to stamp out the half-pound of dirt sandwiched between her toes. "Am I giving up?" She shot back, pouring more emotion than she'd meant to into the question. "Just leave me alone!"

He halted, letting his grin fall. "I can't," he said seriously.

Judy resisted the urge to elbow him again. "Why? What did I ever do to you?"

Nick put a hand out, stopping her trudge. "Haven't you noticed?"

Confusion mingled with her weariness.

"We're the smallest cadets here," he gestured to a cluster of bears and a pair of elephants getting ready for bed, shucking off shirts and trading small talk with easy smiles. Beyond them, a hippo, a trio of large cats, a rhino, and the unfriendly wolf, all whipped back covers and turned off lights with quiet severity, casting reproving glances to classmates not following suit.

Nick gave one glaring jaguar a mild wave, waggling his fingers. "We've got to stick together."

Judy shouldered his arm away, squashing down the small part of her wishing she'd been invited into the troop readying themselves for bed. "Like hell," she traipsed forward. "You made fun of my bunk and made the instructor think I'm going to be her 'tardy cadet'."

He turned and kept pace with her. "Ok. I have poor social skills and get folks around me into trouble," he spread his palms wide and shrugged. "New mammals are not usually fans of me.

Judy kept walking. "Shocking," she huffed. "And I'm not here to 'get into trouble'."

Nick grinned, flashing teeth again. "You sure? I bet you're fun when you're not wound tighter than ol' Wolfie over there," he nudged her as they reached the foot of her bunk. "Come on. What do you say? Want to be friends? Us little guys?"

Judy ground her teeth together and immediately shook her head. "No. You don't make your bed or button your uniform.

"That doesn't mean I won't make a good officer," he countered.

Judy sighed. "We'll see."


	2. Day Four

A/N: HUGE thanks to CasuallyCompetent for agreeing to beta this story, and for providing invaluable suggestions on several scenes. I couldn't have produced the version below without his guidance.

* * *

 **Chapter Two – Day Four**

* * *

Judy woke before her alarm, stretching under her bunched and mussed blankets. Her foot poked out into the air and only sheet covered her left side. She may have been orderly and put together when conscious, but asleep, she rolled, flopped, and often managed to end up at a mattress edge or somehow sleeping with her head at the foot of the bed. It came from a lifetime of little brothers and sisters getting nightmares, needing stories, and wanting snuggles throughout the night.

Rubbing her eyes, she sat up, automatically reaching behind her head to smooth her flattened fur.

"Morning!" A chipper voice called from two bunks over, on the other side of a mountain of unconscious grizzly and polar bear, following it with a wave. "You're a crazy sleeper Carrots."

Judy ignored the fox, who had started each of her days with some sort of unwanted commentary, always awake before her. She threw back tangled blankets and put her back to him.

It was too early for this.

The creak of a mattress sounded behind her, and she palmed her face.

"So," Nick padded past trunks and sat down on her bed without invitation, hushing his voice to a whisper. "Did you think about my offer? Want to be friends?"

He had plunked down too close, touching his hip and thigh to hers, and Judy scooted over, glaring. "It's four in the morning!" She hissed. "This is my time to train and get ready. What are you doing up?" She'd purposefully set her alarm an hour earlier after he'd surprised her at five yesterday.

Nick shrugged. "I'm a pretty nocturnal guy. Technically, it's still dark out."

She grumbled as she leaned over, rummaging for the folded pile of workout clothes she had set out the night before. "Get off my bunk Wilde."

"What if I say no?"

"I'd say you were ten seconds from me changing in front of you," she snapped.

Nick's ears flattened, and he shot to his feet. "Psh. Nothing I haven't seen before," he fumbled, looking away. "Sorry Carrots."

Amid his sudden discomfort, the apology was genuine – she could see it in the embarrassed start of a frown and the wideness of his eyes. Judy did nothing to alleviate his remorse, closing her fingers around a pair of shorts.

 _Good. Cocky jerk. Such a fox._

Nick shifted his weight from foot to foot. "I'm really adding to my charm, huh?"

Judy nodded. "I think I'm downright smitten."

His ears stayed low. "I told you, I'm not good at… social stuff."

Judy huffed and rose, tucking her clothes under an elbow. "They're called 'manners'," she said dryly. "And they usually dictate appropriate times for interacting with others."

Nick's confidence returned. "So four isn't?" He patted his chest, as if looking for something. "Let me just write this down, I should take notes."

"Ha ha," she side-stepped him, heading for the barrack bathrooms. "Go get your morning coffee."

He let her pass, grinning. "You noticed?"

The rabbit huffed, pausing mid-step. "You drink it constantly."

"Want me to get you a cup?"

She shook her head and marched off, not bothering to look back. "Nope."

* * *

"Listen up cadets!" Their instructor hollered, beginning to pace and making the whistle at her neck sway. "Today, we start exploring Zootopia's ecosystems," she shot a look to Nick. "Without tools or special gear. Your job will be to get through each obstacle course without killing yourself. The sand pit earlier this week was just a warm-up. Questions?"

Shared looks swam through the group – the 'warm-up' had been full of traps, sinkholes, and fans that had pelted stinging grains into skin, fur, and faces hard enough to leave welts. The rabbit in their midst had even been blown clear from the site.

Several hands went up into the air, including Judy and Nick's.

"None? Good," the polar bear nodded, glancing to her clipboard. "We start with Tundra Town. Come on," a large paw picked up the whistle and blew. "Alright! Let's move it!"

The class of twenty sprang to obey, and Nick and Judy ran together, darting around the huge steps of their fellow cadets.

"Have you ever been to the Tundra District?" Judy asked under her breath, following the others as they left the field.

Nick nodded. "Of course. I grew up in Zootopia."

"You did?" Judy's ears perked.

"You didn't?"

She blushed as they ran past the mess hall and infirmary. "No," she pushed herself to keep up with a huge trio of cats lumbering up ahead. "I'm from Bunnyburrow."

" _Really_?" Nick teased. "I'd have _never_ guessed."

Judy rolled her eyes. "What kind of obstacles do you think we'll face?"

Nick's tail brushed her hip as he stayed at her side. "Probably ice, snow, and some sort of depressed, wooly mammal wandering around, wondering why he lives there instead of a district with grass and sun."

Judy snickered out loud, surprising herself. The tiger glanced over his shoulder at her, frowning at her proximity to the smug-looking fox.

Nick caught his eye and winked. "He's in for as a big a surprise as you," he whispered to the rabbit. "No doubt he's from a jungle province – there's way more cold, white stuff out there than he can probably wrap his head around."

Judy covered her mouth, suppressing another laugh. "Be quiet. You're not funny."

He grinned. "Liar."

They rounded a bend, and Judy stopped short as she caught sight of the course, covered in a sheen of ice. A huge wall towered in its middle, casting a long shadow over artificially-built-up slaloms and a pond laced in frost.

Nick elbowed her. "Don't be the first one to go for the rope," he jutted his chin to the dangling lifeline hanging on one side of the wall. "Let Mr. Tiger climb it first and use him as a springboard instead."

Judy barely heard, feeling her size for the first time. "Am I… too small for this?" She whispered, not realizing she'd uttered it aloud as she stared at the hulking barrier.

Nick took her hand and pulled her forward, joining the rest of the group who'd clustered around their instructor.

"You'll be timed during this exercise," Friedkin explained. "So get over the wall and past the frost heaves as fast as possible, making sure not to leave yourself vulnerable. Throughout all of these trials, keep in mind that in real life when you're on duty you'll be engaging suspects in these elements, so make sure you stay vigilant."

Judy wished she had a pad of paper to jot everything down and listened so hard her ears strained forward. She was so focused on directions, she missed Nick watching her in idle amusement.

"Ready?" The instructor lifted her whistle. "On your mark, get set, GO!" She blew, and the shrill sound filled Judy's frame, freezing her in place.

Nick dropped her hand and gave her a gentle push as forms blurred around them. "Get going Carrots. You have things to prove."

She stared at him, trepidation filling her usually-determined gaze.

"You've got this," he leaned down. "Just wait for one of those big guys to grab the rope first."

"R-Right," Judy nodded, hearing the words numbly, from far away. "Thanks."

Nick gave a final nod and ran forward into clouds of kicked up snow. Judy burst from her spot, following and making her way through mounds larger than her, speeding to a sprint. An elephant shouldered her aside as the bunny tried to pass.

"Watch it Small Fry," she trumpeted, barreling towards the wall. "You'll get stepped on!"

The taciturn wolf raced past next, almost clipping her in the shoulder. "Good luck Farm Girl," he called, coining the instructor's nickname. "You'll need it getting over this wall!"

Judy ran harder, gritting her teeth. She had a momentary thought of Nick and squinted to see red fur, but the looming barrier pushed him from her mind. Squaring her shoulders, she leapt forward, hands outstretched, to grab and climb its chilly surface.

She hit it with the force of her run and struggled against the jarring sensation of suddenly being immobile, digging her fingers into hard snow and ice for purchase. She scrambled up a few inches and felt a flare of triumph ignite her chest.

 _I can DO this!_

She clambered higher before numbness overtook her hands, and she realized with horror she was sliding down. The flare went out as she slipped down fast.

 _No!_

A red hand grabbed her by the back of her uniform, halting her fall. "I've got you Judy."

Violet eyes looked up to see the fox, no longer confident or amused over her, one hand on the rope he'd told her not to use. "Why didn't you listen to me?" He asked, wrenching her up with one arm. "I said _wait_."

" _You_ didn't," she countered, seeing strain in his face and grabbing the rope, easing her weight from his grip. "And wait for what?" She blanched at how far away the summit seemed.

Nick rolled his eyes and started climbing anew. "Follow me."

Judy watched the elephant and wolf who'd surged ahead of her get near the top and start to struggle. "Oh," her mouth dropped open as their feet slipped out from under them, and they careened downward toward an ice-plated pool.

The tiger was faring better, using his long claws, clinging to the wall as his comrades slid past. Judy gauged the distance between them and launched herself from the rope, aiming for the predator's wide shoulders. She sailed through the air, and landed on black stripes for a second, connecting and springing upward. A polar bear was near the top, working not to follow his comrades' plummet, and she grabbed the ruff of fur at his neck, vaulting herself over the wall. The back side was steep and empty, and she rocketed down on her cotton tail, filling her pants with snow and cold. As she skidded to a halt, she glanced back.

No one was cresting the surface, and she hesitated, waiting to see a pair of sharply-pointed ears poke over. They didn't, and Judy wrestled with herself.

 _I should just keep moving. He'll be fine._

She frowned. "You wouldn't be here without him," she muttered, and surged back towards the wall. "Nick!" She cupped a hand around her mouth. "NICK!"

A muffled snarl sounded from the other side. "Go Carrots! I've got th—agh!"

Judy raced up the wall, digging her fingers again, trying to gain traction. "Hold on!" She cried. "I'm coming!"

Nick's growls grew faint, and she realized he had fallen.

 _Come on. You can do this!_

She dug one hand in front of the other, inching upward, when a familiar whistle blew.

"Assemble cadets!" Major Friedkin yelled. "NOW!"

Judy let her grip relax and immediately slid back down. As she trotted over, she noticed the burn in her fingers for the first time and looked down.

They were red and wet, and some of the fur had been rubbed away. She stared dumbly at the raw digits, wondering when she had pushed them so hard.

Her instructor was not happy, and glared at the unsuccessful group trudging towards her. "What was _that_?!" She admonished. "You are the MOST pathetic batch of recruits this academy's ever seen! I should send you all home now! This course…," she continued on, ranting about their lack of teamwork, perseverance, and strength.

Judy fought not to sink to her knees as she went on, overcome with her failure and sudden fatigue.

 _I was the one who didn't work as a team. I left Nick behind._ Her thoughts grew dark and chiding as a form limped up to her.

"Hey," Nick nudged her. "No one makes it the first time."

Judy looked away. "I tried getting back to you, but I couldn't make it," she stared at her hands, surprised to see blood starting to rise. "Sorry."

Nick followed her gaze. "Don't worry about it," he reached over and closed his hands over hers, careful of her fingers. "You should get those bandaged."

She shook her head, still half-listening as the polar bear continued to cite their shortcomings.

He cradled her palms gently. "We'll stop by the infirmary before lunch."

Distracted, Judy nodded absently, only later realizing he had kept her hands through the rest of their instructor's tirade, and had held one the entire path to the triage center.

* * *

Nick surveyed the sleeping barracks, roaming over inert forms snoring in exhaustion. He had meant to only idly glance at the rabbit, who had already kicked off her covers and thrown her arms over her head, but his eyes lingered on her parted mouth and soft breathing longer than he knew they should. The ends of her paws were wrapped in bandages, and he fought back a thick swallow.

 _She just felt guilty_ , he assured, staring at her bared stomach, exposed in a splayed stretch. _Climbing back over to get me._

The violet eyes usually sparked with anger or argument were closed, and the fox fought the urge to creep closer.

 _No need to be a stalker. She's not anything special anyway._

Squaring his shoulders, he turned for the exit, making sure to walk quietly. He passed a rhino, the tiger Judy had hopped on, and a lion, making sure to keep his tail still; it had a nasty habit of banging against things if he wasn't careful. Nick made his way to the door, and turned for a last look back.

Judy's mouth moved in her sleep and mumbles lifted from her. He was too far away to hear them and took a step back.

 _Wait, what are you doing? Who cares what she's saying! You're already late!_

He turned back around and opened the door, sneaking outside and being careful to avoid the lit lamppost and security camera nearby. Treading across the track he already hated and the field he wished he had never crossed, he left the base, heading for the main road. As he walked, his mind returned to the bunny, who was proving more interesting than he'd thought she'd be.

Her earnestness and effort appealed to him in a way he hadn't known he valued. _Why did she want to become a police officer so badly? Certainly not for the glamor._ He started down the main road, keeping to the shadows, thinking of her expressive face, giving out more emotion than he was sure she wanted it to.

Nick hadn't meant to help her on the obstacle course. He had left her side and hadn't given her a second thought, having done his duty as 'friend' in offering council. He had assumed she'd capitalize on his assistance when he'd instinctively grabbed her, maybe even wrenching him loose to take his place, but when she hadn't, and rushed back for him, he was shocked.

A car without its headlights on rolled down the road and slowed as it approached. Judy faded from focus, and he sunk his hands into his pockets, pulling on a confident smile.

The car stopped beside him, and a door opened, revealing two polar bears in its backseat, looking out expectantly.

Nick got in without a word, and the limo sped away before he'd even fully-closed the door.


End file.
